All That Glitters
by sjm2119
Summary: Terra the Terrible was the most fearsome pirate in all of Albion, until Logan finally captured her. And forced her into the care of a certain tall-hatted, narcissistic sycophant. She will soon discover that there may be more to her life than terrorizing others.
1. Chapter 1

Well, to keep things short and simple, my name is Terra Magnar, better known as Terra the Terrible. "Terrible", because my hobbies include cheating people out of large sums of money and occasionally plundering the high seas for her treasure. In other words, I enjoy pirating. And I do it quite often, thank you very much.

The land was never exactly my center of operations. Ever since I was fifteen, I've worked on a ship, feeling the open salty air on my pale face, and letting the wind whip my white-blonde hair in any direction it pleased. Nine years later, I still ride the high seas, only occasionally making port for the supplies for more rowdy plundering. Lately, however, I have been keeping my identity concealed in Aurora and Bowerstone Industrial. Wanted signs with my face on them have been popping up quite often. Looks like His Majesty King Logan has been noticing that his supply ships haven't been reaching their destination.

My ship, named the Magpie (that's the name her old owner pleased to give her), kept herself well hidden by taking down her old unmistakable red sails, and putting up clean white ones. While my crew, Finch, Marlin, Joey, Old Cook, Gerry, Spook, and Four-Eyes, kept themselves busy satisfying their "needs" (needs being booze and saucy wenches), I wandered Bowerstone Industrial, the place where I was raised until I was fifteen. I typically hang around their nasty pub, The Riveter's Rest, but today I decided I was going to take a walk around. I immediately turned on my heel when I saw the prince, followed by Sir Walter Beck. I bet the prince thought he was in some clever disguise, but anyone who's lived in Albion since the old Hero king was alive knows both Logan and the prince.

I thought they caught a glimpse of my hooded form, but I was unsure. Either way, our time in port was up. I rushed back to The Magpie, grabbing Finch by the arm as I passed by his carrot-orange head. Finch was young, probably thirty, but he was the head of my crew. He nodded and was out of my sight within a few seconds, no doubt to go find the others. I continued to walk back to my ship.

By the time I was there, Old Cook was already in the cabin, Joey and Four-Eyes were fooling around in the crows' nest, and Finch was pulling Marlin, Gerry, and Spook onto the front of the ship. I went up to the wheel and shouted to my crew.

"Down with the sails! To Aurora we go!" I shouted. My men went to work, and I went into the cabin.

"Cook, man the wheel," I said gently. Cook smiled his same toothless smile, and hobbled out of the cabin, where there was a bustle of activity. I went to my personal quarters. It was rather modest, a small bed, a small chest, a sink, and a mirror over it. I went to look in the mirror.

My white-blonde hair was almost pure white against the black color of my hood. I put my hood down and unbuttoned my cropped jacket, tossing it on my bed. My long hair fell down out of the hood, touching my middle back. My jagged bangs were arranged across my forehead, and the strands of my long hair that had been wrapped in thread and various charms hung down on my chest. My white loose-fitting shirt was tucked into my thick belt, from which my baggy workers' pants hung. I pushed my sleeves up past my elbows. They were tucked into my clunky leather boots. From my belt hung twin pistols, one dangling from each hip.

I sighed and turned away from myself, feeling the groan of The Magpie as she went full speed towards open sea. I heard three knocks, and Finch's orange head appeared in the door.

"Um, Cap'n Terra, we're headed southeast towards Aurora, the boys were wondering if we should stay on lookout for passing ships," he grumbled, in his usually deep voice.

"Let's take it easy today, Finch. You guys had a rough week and we were only in port for a few hours. You all can swap shifts for tonight," I said, letting Finch have a little bit of leash, but keeping my stern face. His face lit up and he had excitement in his voice.

"Yes Cap'n!" he said, shutting my door and scrambling out on deck. I heard the boys rejoice as I laid down on my small cot and began to fall into a deep sleep.

I was woken up by the sound of shouts on deck and sudden jolts in the Magpie's motion. I shot out of bed and grabbed my pistols, fastening them to my belt. I shoved the door open and looked at the scene outside. I was greeted by Marlin running right into me.

"Cap'n! one of Logan's ships has harpooned us! They're asking for ya!" he said frantically. I grabbed my belt and ran to the deck of the ship. I drew one of my pistols into my right hand, approaching the side. Sure enough, Logan's soldiers lined the deck of the ship that was now connected to us, via harpoon. They had fired a harpoon into the side of my beautiful Magpie, and connected her to their ship. We were stuck.

The crew of the enemy ship was accompanied by a very tall man wearing a very tall hat, clad in white. He looked serious yet amused.

"Terra Magnar! By royal order, King Logan demands your unconditional and complete surrender!" one of the soldiers yelled, pointing a gun at me. I laughed.

"Come on boys, let's show these prigs that Miss Magpie won't go down without a fight!"

My crew shouted in approval and raised their weapons. The troops from the rival ship dropped a plank to the deck of the Magpie, and one by one began to cross over.

There was so much gunfire, shouting, and the sound of cutlasses clashing, that I lost track of what was going on. I took out my pistols and aimed at a soldier crossing the connecting plank, shooting him into the water.

Finch had his hands full with three soldiers, and I easily dispatched one for him. Gerry and Four Eyes were back to back, fighting off a hoard. I tried to cover Cook's back as best as I could, but the old man eventually cowered into the cabin. I would've scolded him, but at that point I didn't much care.

I looked up at the precise moment that the tall-hat man decided to cross the plank onto my ship, pistol drawn. His tall hat was adorned with large goggles, and his white jacket was whipping around his waist, the fur lining rubbing against his pale face. The heart tattoo on his cheek was the most noticeable thing about him. It was also noticeable that he was aiming his pistol right at my right hand mate, Finch.

Before I knew what I was doing, I was running full speed towards this tall-hat man, my arms outstretched, uttering some sort of primitive war cry. I slammed into him, hooking my arms around his midsection, and knocked him backwards several feet. Unfortunately, those several feet lead to the edge of the deck, which we both toppled over. Still connected, we plunged into the water, both of us shoving and scratching and screaming obscenities that I would rather not mention.

We both splashed into the ocean and immediately separated, but my fight against the currents of the sea was rather feeble, as I was not a strong swimmer. Imagine that, a pirate lord being a weak swimmer! My lungs were gasping for something, other than salty sea water, which they were quickly filling up with. I felt hands around my arms push me to the surface. When I looked, there was no one visible to me.

Shortly after bringing my head to the surface (alone, I might add), I was fished out by a rather uncomfortable rope and several pairs of gloved hands. I was shoved down onto the floor of the deck. This was Logan's ship. I looked at all the members of my loyal crew, even Old Cook, shackled and miserable, alongside me. We were all looking at my beautiful ship.

One of the soldiers shouted and suddenly several cannons were fired into Miss Magpie. I watched as she sank into the dark sea, fighting back tears. My belongings, everything I worked for, my treasure, all gone. I had nothing.

There was a dark look on my face as the soldiers set their course to Bowerstone Industrial, and the tall-hat man was nowhere to be seen.


	2. Chapter 2

Logan's ship arrived in Bowerstone Industrial, to a crowd of people awaiting its return. The search for my crew and my beloved ship must have been publicized greatly. The ship docked, and my crew members were forced one by one onto the dock, myself being last. I heard the insults and rather crude remarks being hurled at my boys, myself not excluded. However, I held my head up high and did not let the insults affect me, as the guards clearly intended them to.

We all traveled through the streets of Bowerstone Industrial and Bowerstone Market heavily guarded. We approached the castle quickly for what I assumed would be royal judgement. I swallowed with fear at the thought of King Logan on his throne, giving us all the death sentence. Chills ran down my spine.

I had seen the king in person only once, a few years back, while sneaking about the Old Quarter. He was parading the streets with his array of royal guards. He was tall, pale, and very miserable looking. His sad eyes surveyed the area, and then moved along with the herd. There always seemed to be something troubling King Logan, but then again, he always seemed to be a bit...off.

I snapped to attention as a soldier grabbed my arm and dragged me up a set of stairs, spiraling to the large door of the castle. He pushed me up the large grand staircase in the front hall with the rest of my crew to a large throne room. Many people were there, standing behind rope fences. On the throne sat the miserable Logan. Next to him, was someone I never expected to see. The tall-hat man who attacked my ship was standing next to Logan, with a large smirk on his face. He looked completely unscathed, and was clad in his same white attire. I only just stopped my mouth from dropping open in shock.

"This is Reaver," Logan said, gesturing to tall-hat man. "He will be overseeing royal court this afternoon."

Reaver smirked in my direction. It was obvious to me that he was overseeing this trial to contribute to my misery.

One by one, my men were seen by Logan and were all given the same sentence: a twenty-year period behind bars. They were all relieved that their lives were spared, but I doubted my fate would be quite as merciful. Logan leered at me as I was brought to the carpet in front of his throne for my sentence. He cleared his throat and began to speak.

"For the past five years, you have been terrorizing our seas, preventing safe passage from Bowerstone to Aurora. You have looted and burned many of my ships, not exluding the ships of innocent people. You are a threat to our land and a nuisance to our economy. Your crimes are punishable by death and only death," Logan said, leaning forward and setting his elbows on his knees. I cringed, but did my best to mask any fear I felt at that moment. Reaver's expression was almost unreadable. There was a thick silence.

"Tear 'er bloody head off!" someone in the crowd shouted. Their comment was followed by many others, all worse than the first. This caused uproar from both sides of the crowd, competing to decide my unfortunate fate. I wanted to tell them all just to shut up, but I held my tongue in fear of losing it. Reaver spoke,

"My dear people," he sneered. "Let His Majesty have silence."

This caused everyone to fall silent and look to Logan, who was studying me thoughtfully. Reaver looked at him once more before speaking again.

"Your Majesty, let me take this despicable ruffian with me. I have rather industrious things to be done and she can...become a representative of your authority among the common people!"

"I'm no ruffian!" I spat, lunging towards Reaver but instantly being restrained by two guards. This caused a collected gasp from the crowd. Logan stayed silent, thinking.

"All right, it's decided. This filthy miscreant will become your disciple," Logan decided. I sighed with relief with the knowledge that my life would be spared. My death was still far off. Reaver looked at Logan with disbelief.

"Your Majesty, my disciple? I believe you heard me wrong-"

"Yes, Reaver. You will train this girl to become an addition to my army. You may send her to perform your petty tasks, yes, but if any harm befalls her, you will be severely punished. I will regularly hear of her progress. She is yours to command, but keep in mind that her life is in your hands. You may take her now."

After saying this, Logan rose from the throne and walked out of the throne room while the crowd hollered and cheered. I sighed with relief once more as he exited the room. I was dragged to my feet and brought face-to-face with Reaver. Or rather, face-to-chest. Reaver was a good few inches taller than me, and his hat added to both his height and intimidation factor. As his dark eyes surveyed my light ones, any relief I had left was chased away by fear.

I think I would rather be behind bars, I thought to myself. Reaver smirked and nodded to the guard behind me.

"Take off her shackles, please," he said. The guard unlocked my shackles and freed my hands, which immediately went to Reaver's neck. Unfortunately, he was too fast for me. He grabbed my wrists and pinned them behind me, the smirk never leaving his face. As we left the throne room and made our way towards the carriage outside the castle, I made quite a scene struggling against Reaver's iron grip. My fits of struggle caused him to pluck me off the ground and throw me over his shoulder, as if I were nothing.

"Let me go!" I screeched, kicking my legs and beating his back with my fists. It was hopeless. He said nothing.

Reaver rudely stuffed me in the door of his carriage, saying nothing as I yelled rather vicious things to him (or anyone that was anywhere near me). He ignored me as he climbed in the carriage and seated himself directly across from me in a rather dignified manner. I fell silent, rather shocked at his calm demeanor. I heard the cracking of a whip and felt the carriage rumble into motion. I glanced at Reaver, and found him looking at me rather smugly.

"Wipe that smirk off your face," I mumbled. He tossed his head back and laughed.

"Oh-ho-ho! You really are hilarious. I am so excited to have acquired such a deliciously daft apprentice," he said, smirking once more. I scoffed.

"What can you teach me? You're just a stuck-up, rich prig!"

His upper lip curled up with disgust. His eyes narrowed as he let the comment sink in.

"Well, my little ruffian, all I have to do is tell Logan you're breaking his rules, and-" he made a chopping motion with his hand. "-it's off with your pretty little head."

I shivered and his smirk returned. I looked out the window of the carriage, avoiding his evil eyes. In my peripheral vision, I saw him take off his hat, revealing a mop of raven-black hair.

"Although you may be only a piece of dung on the bottom of my boot, this could be an interesting partnership," he said, raising his eyebrow. I had a rather sarcastic reply for him, but I decided holding my tongue would be better. There was a rather long period of complete silence, most of which Reaver and I spent looking in opposite directions. The carriage suddenly came to a rather abrupt stop, which caused me to propel forward from my comfortable seat. I would have landed right on top of Reaver, has he not avoided me and almost jumped out of the carriage.

"We're here," he sneered, glaring at me from the outside of the carriage. I got up from my hands and knees and hopped out. Reaver chuckled as I nearly pitched forward after my uneasy landing.

"Anyway, this is my humble manor, sea-rat."

I looked at his lavish estate, pretending to be uninterested.

"If you even think of breaking any regulations of your training and...dwelling here, I will not hesitate to ship you right back to the castle and to King Logan himself. Is that clear?" he said, looking at me with disdain in his eyes. I nodded stiffly.

"Good girl."

He continued his walk towards the front door, turning to look at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, come on, you slimy mongrel. I am getting quite tired of waiting around for you, you know."

I rolled my eyes and trudged along after him. After all, if I wanted to stay alive, I had to follow his rules. I had lost everything. My ship, my crew, my dignity, were among the things I lost.

And Ben. I had lost Ben. But that was a long time ago.


	3. Chapter 3

-Nine Years Earlier-

He was something of a man, he was slim, with broad shoulders. His skin was tanned from years of exposure to the harsh sun. His white shirt was loose-fitted and dirty, tucked into dark pants with dark boots as well. He was busying himself at the upper mast, fixing the sail.

"Ben!" Captain Thomas yelled. He looked up from his work on the sail. "Come down here and meet the new swabbie!"

This man called Ben shimmied across the mast to the crow's nest, sliding down the ladder and landing close to us. As he approached, I got a better look at him.

He had a mass of blonde hair atop his head, most of which dangled in his face. Stubble littered his face in an even pattern. His eyes were squinted from the sun, but I could tell they were blue. He had somewhere between an exasperated yet excited look on his face. As he approached me, he wiped his hands on his trousers and offered me one of them.

"My name's Ben," he said. His voice was deep, but there was a hint of childish excitement. I took his hand and smiled.

"I'm Terra," I replied. A smile lit up Ben's rugged features.

"Show her the way around Miss Magpie," Captain Thomas said, gesturing to the ship. As he walked away, Ben came to my side and began pointing in every direction.

"There's the cabin, we sleep in cycles here. Under deck is where we keep the fish after we pull in the nets. We cast and re-cast twice an hour, and Captain Thomas is in charge of navigation. Your job is to help me with the nets. Got all that, swabbie?" he said, placing his hands on his hips and smiling widely.

Long story short, I left both of my parents when they decided to move from Bowerstone Industrial to Aurora. The three of us paid Captain Thomas for passage across the sea. That was the first time I rode on the Magpie, and I can honestly say that I fell in love with the sea. Shortly after moving to Aurora, I told my parents that I wanted to work on a fishing boat, one exactly like the Magpie. They didn't take the news well.

"Terra, you're only fifteen," I can remember my mother arguing. She was never exactly supportive of my individuality. My father supported the decision (he made a living working in the shipyards by day), but he was still worried about my safety. Eventually, he convinced my mother that it was a good idea, my happiness being in his best interest.

I waited at the Aurora docks the say after we moved in and found Captain Thomas.

"I want to join your crew," I said to him, rather plainly. He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"You, lass? Y'want to join my crew?" he asked, not believing me. I nodded.

"Yes, sir."

He chuckled but put his hand on my shoulder, walking me to the end of the dock, where the Magpie was anchored.

"Yer aware that she's a fishing boat?" he said, pointing to the ship. I nodded again.

"Yes, sir."

By the end of the day, he had my provisions on the ship. I said goodbye to my parents, promising that I would visit every time we were docked at Aurora. They reluctantly said goodbye.

Ben and I became fast friends. We spent every day on deck and he taught me how to cast the nets, how to shoot a pistol properly, and he also taught me the names of the constellations when the sun disappeared over the horizon. I was very eager to learn from his experience.

We spent many days and nights trading secrets. He told me about his family; his three deceased brothers, his alcoholic father, and his mother's suicide. He was the last surviving member of the Finn family. From all his stories, he seemed like a good person that could never seem to do anything right.

Things went quite well, for those few years.

-Present Time-

I was awakened by a loud banging noise that was coming from my door. I shot up and pulled on my clothes as quickly as I could. The banging continued.

"Come on, you lazy girl!" came Reaver's voice. I growled in disgust and clipped my pistols to my belt, pulling my hair back into a long ponytail. I pulled the door open as angrily as I could. Reaver stood in full military attire with a pistol on one hip and a cutlass on the other. He laughed at my expression and I suddenly realized how much I truly despised him.

"It is your first day in my humble manor, and so it is your first day of training. I will teach you until I simply cannot stand to be in your presence any longer."

I glared at him, nodding stiffly. I would play his little game, until I could get away. He turned and walked down the hallway, beckoning for me to follow. He stopped suddenly and opened a set of doors, revealing a spacious room with a large rug and a scarcity of furniture. Save for a few racks of weapons and wooden dummies, the room was eerily barren. He shut the doors behind me.

"The is the combat room. We train here. Go over there-" he pointed to a rack of swords. "-and choose your weapon."

I looked at him warily while he crossed his arms and frowned.

I went to the rack and inspected the variety of swords; a curved sword, a broad sword, a long sword, and a cutlass. Choosing the cutlass, I turned around, only to raise my blade to meet Reaver's before he could split my head in half. He quickly jabbed towards my right side but I deflected his blow and jumped backwards. He jabbed again and I barely made it out of the way.

"Are you mad?!" I yelled, matching his strikes with great difficulty. He smirked, slashing at me and slicing my sleeve.

"I'm trying to kill you," he sneered, jabbing at me again. I growled with frustration, changing from the defensive to the offensive, angrily thrusting and slashing at him as he effortlessly blocked every move.

"You bastard! You bloody snake!" I yelled, slashing over and over as hard as I possibly could. He only smirked in response, saying nothing. How dare he try to kill meI Why would he bother sparing me from the block if he was just going to kill me anyway?

I jabbed at Reaver's left side and he knocked my cutlass away from me, grabbing me around my neck and pinning me to the wall, pressing his sword against my side. We locked eyes for a moment and he released me.

"If that had been reality, I would've spilled your insides out," he said, completely serious. "Now, fight me again."

We sparred many more times. Every time he would triumph over me and then tell me to try again. He talked to me as we sparred, correcting every move I made, telling me how doing the wrong this could cost me my life. We fought again and again, and Reaver was completely serious the entire time.

The cycle continued for many more weeks. Every day, Reaver would teach me something new. I began to get better. Reaver not only taught me to improve my sword skills, he also showed me hand-to-hand combat. He refined my sharpshooting skills. He was a lot more skilled than I ever would've surmised.

As we fought, he kept trying to distract me with snide comments. I simply kept fighting with the same intensity as before, anticipating every move that he was going to make. He jabbed to my left but I feinted to the right, catching him off guard. Before he could retaliate, I knocked his sword from him and pressed him to the wall with my sword against his throat. I realized that I had him pinned for the first time, and that I had finally beat him at his own game. I smirked and released him, trying to play it down as I went to put my sword on the rack. I finally could't bear it.

"I beat you," I said to him, rather bluntly. He laughed out loud, sheathing his cutlass and putting his hands on his hips.

"My dear girl," he began, the smirk already beginning to form on his face. "We have been training for weeks, and this is the first time you have beat me."

I blushed and frowned, feeling small once more.

"But still," I smirked. "I beat you."

"I wasn't trying."

"You're a liar," I sighed, shaking my head and resting my hands on my hips. "I've only used a sword a few times. I don't like swordplay."

"It's not 'playing' if you're desperate," he said gravely. "It's important to have something to depend on when your main plan fails. Guns jam, powder gets wet, you run out of bullets."

"Those are wise words, coming from someone who's probably never had that problem," I sneered, wrinkling my nose. "Your money could buy you the finest gun in Albion."

"Oh-ho, yes! You are exactly correct, pumpkin!" he laughed. I sighed and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going? We are not done."

I turned to face him and crossed my arms.

"What else do you possibly have to teach me?"

"Oh, I have loads to teach you, kitten," he said, winking at me and smiling. I frowned and swallowed a gagging noise that I had been tempted to make.

"Shoot me."

I looked at him and raised my eyebrows.

"Are you deaf, girl? Shoot me," he said.

Without hesitation, I drew my left pistol and fired at his chest. I heard a noise, like a pebble hitting a glass window, and the bullet fell a few feet awake, rolling to an abstract spot on the carpeted floor. Reaver had deflected my bullet with his sword.

"How did you do that?" I asked, dumbfounded. He smirked.

"If you want to hit me, you're going to have to shoot more creatively than that. Try once more."

I tried again, shooting at his leg this time. He deflected it just as easily, sending it rolling behind a chair. He was still smirking at me, standing still, plain as day.

"All right, Reaver. I give. What's the game?" I said, in a rather condescending tone. He smirked mischievously and shrugged.

"I want you to shoot me. You can't perform this easy task?"

I was tired of him berating me and offending me. I gave him a hard look before firing several shots at all parts of his body. He deflected them all. I fired more and more, making him jump left and right to keep my shots away. Finally, he held up his hand.

"That is enough for now," he said, limping towards the door. I looked at him curiously. He hadn't been hit, why was he limping?

It was then that I noticed the dark liquid pooling around his right foot, coming from his thigh. I had shot him in the thigh. He was rushing to the door, showing no fear or pain. I was frozen in my steps, pistols still smoking, watching him press his hands to his thigh and reach for the door.

"You should probably lay down," I said, after following him to his room (where I was never allowed).

"I don't think that is necessary," he argued.

"No. Lay down now," I said, pointing to the bed. He sighed, frustrated, but did not resist. I rushed all the way downstairs to the kitchen, where I found Barry Hatch (who I had met the previous day) filling a mug with ale from the barrels.

"What is it?" he asked, seeing the look on my face.

"Uh, Reaver's hurt," I said, scratching my head. "I, um…shot him."

Barry's face turned into some kind of smirk as he went for the front doors. He found a guard outside and told him to send for a surgeon. I ran back upstairs to find Reaver, with his eyes closed. I slapped his face several times, trying to rouse him.

"Wake up. Hey!" I said, getting more desperate with each slap. He grabbed my wrist suddenly and opened one eye, glaring at me.

"Are you always this aggressive in the bedroom, my dear?" he asked, slyly smirking when I turned bright red. I shook it away and frowned again.

"Hatch called for a surgeon. I should probably cut this fabric away," I said, reaching for my knife and pinching the fabric at his thigh.

"Well then, Miss Terrible, remove it. Feel free to remove the rest of my pants as well," he said, winking at me. I made a face.

"You really never change, do you?"

"Not in the slightest, I'm afraid," he replied, chuckling.

I sighed and cut away the square of fabric, leaving the room just as the surgeon came through the door.


	4. Chapter 4

-Seven Years Earlier-

I was seventeen. I had been working at sea on the Magpie for two years, quickly becoming three. I enjoyed every moment of it.

When Captain Thomas approached me one fine morning and told me we had to make port in Aurora, I was both excited and terrified to get there. I was excited to see my parents, but terrified because they would see how much I had changed. We were only staying docked for a short time, but no time was too short to see my parents.

Before we could sail south to Aurora, we had to make port in Bowerstone Industrial to let Ben go on his merry way for a bit. We had to drop off our fish as well.

Ben and I passed the time by attending to the Captain's various demands, but mostly sat on the front of the boat with our legs dangling over the side, tossing the fish pieces of rotten bread. We also enjoyed pointing out the variety of creatures that appeared on the surface.

"Look there!" I shouted, pointing out a small fish jumping into the air. "Look at that bugger! He can fly!"

Ben laughed with delight as he tossed more rotten bread in the water.

"Look at that one," he said, gesturing to a shiny silver fish as we sailed on. I giggled.

"What are you going to do when we get to Bowerstone?" I asked suddenly. He looked at me and smiled, tearing bread in his fingers and tossing it in the water.

"I'm not sure. Romp around, I suppose. It'll just feel good to have my feet on solid ground once again."

I nodded and glanced over the horizon. I tossed the remainder of my bread into the water and swung my legs over the railing, hopping down onto the deck. Ben looked over his shoulder and swung down after me.

"Where are you going?" he asked. I shrugged.

"I want to try to man the wheel," I stated, smirking and walking towards the stairs. Ben trotted behind me. He too noticed Captain Thomas's absence. I climbed the stairs and went to the wheel, feeling the carved wood underneath my hands and smiling to myself.

"How do I steer?" I asked, turning to Ben. He chuckled and stood behind me, taking my hands and setting them on the wheel underneath his.

"Never turn too sharp," he said, his head over my left shoulder. "If you turn too sharp, it'll turn us right over. Just use slow, gradual moves to change direction."

I nodded and felt him put pressure on my hands, slowly turning the wheel slightly to the right.

"When there's surf or a storm, hold her steady. She'll want to jump out of your hands."

Ben's hands tightened around mine, exemplifying a steady grip on the wheel. I nodded again.

"Look at the compass-" my eyes flashed to the compass in the center of the wheel. "-that is your guide. Right now we are sailing northwest for Bowerstone Industrial."

I nodded one last time as he uncovered my hands, stepping away from me proudly with his hands on his hips.

"Look at you!" he chuckled.

**I laughed and held the wheel tightly with both hands. The sun was almost all the way below the horizon, casting a deep purple glow over the sea. **

**"All right, little fish, it's time for bed," Ben said, clapping his hands suddenly. **

**"Bollocks!" I argued, throwing my hands in the air with frustration. I realized the wheel was beginning to turn on its own, so I seized it and strapped it down, securing it from any further movement. **

**"Not 'bollocks'," Ben stated calmly. "You're the youngest of us all, therefore you have the earliest bedtime." **

**"You're only three years older!" I said, hiding laughter. He smiled widely. **

**"Three years wiser, actually. Now come on," he said, walking down the steps into the cabin. **

**My day had gone by slowly. Before Ben and I fed the fish, all we did was scrub the deck and mend the nets. We had to clean for a reason I couldn't understand, it was probably just busy work to keep us away from Captain Thomas. The Captain had been acting strange lately, shutting himself in the cabin by day and going on deck in the wee hours before dawn. When he spoke to Ben and I (Ben more often than myself), it was brief and informative. He was no longer cheerful, even in the best of times, and he isolated himself from us. I thought for a moment that he might be homesick, as I occasionally was, but I remembered that Captain Thomas had no other home than the Magpie. The Captain didn't seem physically exhausted, but his eyes looked empty and his voice fell to a monotone. He was mentally exhausted. **

**It was morning when Ben's shouts roused me from a deep slumber. I yawned and stretched my arms, satisfied with my good night sleep. **

**"Get up, little fish," Ben sang. "Morning is here! It's time for target practice!" **

**I shot up from my bunk with sudden excitement. I was eager to feel the cool handle of a pistol against my skin and knowing the feeling of sweet accomplishment as I shot three cans in a row. **

**"Coming!" I shouted, pulling on my boots and snapping my twin pistols to my hips. When I exited the cabin, I threw an arm over my head to shield my eyes from the bright sunlight. My eyes focused on Ben, who was standing in the middle of the deck. I approached him and he pointed to three cans set on top of a crate. I shot those cans easily, and also shot several others set in random places on the ship. **

**"Very good, you are getting better every day," Ben said. **

**"I'll catch up to you one day, Benjamin Finn!" **

**he chuckled and I made a face, but he quickly smiled. Captain Thomas interrupted us. **

**"All right, you two. Prepare to dock!" he shouted, rather enthusiastically. Ben and I exchanged puzzled glances but follow his orders nonetheless. We arrived at Bowerstone Industrial not an hour later. The air was stale and the sky was a dim gray that matched the faces of the dockworkers. Once we were in and anchored down, Ben went to the cabin to gather his things and I joined the Captain on deck. **

**"Captain?" I murmured as we lowered the plank onto the deck. He looked to me with a warm smile. **

**"What is it, swabbie?" he replied, using the nickname he and Ben invented to spite me. **

**"Is everything all right?" **

**He looked lost for a moment, emotions were raging behind his eyes. I had a knack for realizing these sort of things. **

**"Aye, m'dear. I 'suppose I just need to set me feet on dry land once more before we set sail." **

**I nodded in response, but still felt he was holding back. Ben joined us suddenly with a bag over his shoulder. **

**"I got my things. Are you coming into town, Captain?" **

**"Aye, lad," he sighed. **

**An idea suddenly popped into my head. It was daring, but the Captain might take a fancy to it. **

**"Captain!" I blurted, my wide eyes flashing between his and Ben's startled faces. My confidence did not falter. "I have an idea." **

**Captain Thomas raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. **

**"Well then, swabbie, let's give it a listen." **

**I swallowed my hesitation. **

**"Let me sail to Aurora." **

**The Captain looked at me with confusion in his eyes and began to chuckle. **

**"All by yer lonesome?" **

**"Yes, sir. It would give you some time to rest on land. It's only two weeks!" I pleaded with my eyes but he sadly shook his head. **

**"It's hard enough with three people, lass. Even I couldn't do it alone." **

**"You know people, don't you? Find me a crew, then! Please." **

**There was a heartbreaking silence as he stood, stroking his chin. **

**"She would be a fine captain, sir. Give her this chance to prove it," Ben said. I smiled at him. Thank Avo he was my friend, and a damn good one at that. **

**"Fine, lass. Meet me at th' pub in Bowerstone Industrial bright and early tomorrow morning. If you have anything that needs to be done, you better do it." **

**I could no longer contain my excitement. I threw my arms around the Captain's neck and squeezed him into oblivion while Ben laughed heartily at the awkward scene. **

**"Thank you so much, Captain! You won't be disappointed!" **

**I went back into the cabin to gather the Captain's things for him, per his request. This was the chance of a lifetime! I promised myself I wouldn't blow it. My thoughts were interrupted by Ben. He entered the cabin and sat on my bunk next to me. **

**"You''ll be on your own." **

**I looked at him and smiled with excitement. **

**"Yeah." **

**He was quiet for a moment. He twisted and untwisted his fingers. A sigh came from his tired body and his blonde hair fell in his face. **

**t goodbye, yet,**You won

**He smiled at me and I smiled back. **

**"You're right." **

**I stood up and checked the bunks, gathering the rest of the Captain's things. **

**I followed Ben into town, past the Riveter's Rest and the disgusting factory. As we were passing the factory, Ben and I stopped when we noticed an emissary of the new regent, King Logan. This extremely well-dressed man was handing a set of keys to another well-dressed man. **

**The man receiving the keys was very tall and handsome. He had unruly black hair and dark eyes. My focus, however, was the pistol hanging from his hip; a Dragonstomper .48, one of the most amazing weapons ever created. Ben and I both stared for a moment at the beautiful pistol. The man was as dignified as his gun; he held himself with pride. He must have felt our eyes upon him, because he looked up and his gave met mine. He only had a moment to study me, before Ben dragged me away. **

**"Dignity my arse, that bastard was a pig!" Ben fumed, dragging me towards Bowerstone Market. **

**"He had a Dragonstomper," I stated, still in awe. **

**"I don't care if he was the bloody king! I would've shot his eyes out if he groveled at you a second longer!" **

**I giggled at Ben's outburst. The mysterious man was obviously very wealthy (or some kind of master thief) to be carrying around a Dragonstomper like it was nothing. The twin pistols I carried were nothing compared to that incredible invention. **

**Ben and I got a room at Bowerstone Market's pub, just down the road from the castle. As we got settled in, I spoke up. **

**"Captain Terrat believe it. **

**Captain Thomas looked between the boys and I with a smile. He clapped me on the shoulder proudly. **

**"It takes three days to Aurora with the wind, five without. I know you'll do fine, lass. Just keep 'er straight and true. I'll see you at these docks in two weeks' time." **

**"Aye, Captain," I nodded. He did the same. **

**"No, lass. You're Captain now," he said, removing his hat from his head and placing it on mine. My heart nearly burst with excitement at his gesture. He smiled and (like Ben) turned and walked away without another word. I turned to my awkward crew with excitement and lead them to the Magpie. The one called Finch approached me as we walked. **

**"'Ello cap'n!" he said with a smile. His voice was thick with an accent I had never heard. **

**"Me name's Finch, I'll be your firs' mate!" he said, sticking his hand out for me to shake. I shook it with joy. **

**"Good to meet you, Finch." **

**I stopped and turned to the boys as we approached the Magpie. **

**"There are two bunks in the cabin. Two will rest, two will work. Cast out the nets and pull them in twice an hour. Fish go into the barrels belowdecks. We fish until they are full and we can sell our fish in Aurora. Check the wheel every hour to be sure we're on the right course. Clear?" I said, remembering everything Ben had told me when I started my career on the Magpie. A chorus of "ayes" followed my demands and I nodded with satisfaction. The boys followed me on deck and we were off. Finch and I took the first shift. **

**After our work was done, we sat side by side on the railing with our legs dangling above the water. The air was salty and the breeze felt nice in the hot, dry air. Finch turned to me after a long silence. **

**"'Ow old are ye, cap'n?" **

**"Seventeen, to be eighteen soon." **

**He surveyed me for a few moments before I spoke up. **

**"How do you know Captain Thomas?" I asked. He slapped himself on the knee and laughed heartily. **

**"I know ole Thomas since I was a wee lad! I firs' met that soggy bilge-rat when me mum took me to the docks an' said 'Now Finchy, that man's a real model, see?' An' ever since then she was pushin' me to join a crew an' get familiar with the briny blue." **

**He began joking and we eventually found ourselves laughing at his occasional rhymes and jests, and I realized the reason we got along so well. He was just like Ben. Even their appearances were somewhat similar; the messy hair, the bright eyes, the wide smile. Except for the fact that Finch was much older (and simply that he was not Ben) he was almost exactly like my best friend. **

**This made me realize that I did indeed miss Ben. After all, he meant a lot to me. I wonder if he thought the same. Surely he did, we were the best of friends. **

**The voyage went by quickly. We were asleep a few days later when Joey roused Finch and I. He and Marlin had been on deck and had just docked the ship in Auroran waters. **

**I shot from my bunk and bounded out on deck, past Marlin and off the ship. Aurora was different than I remembered. The breeze was no longer warm and calming. It was chilling. **

**As I entered the market, my heart pounded with terror. No one was at the market and the surrounding houses were boarded up. **

**It's probably because of a sandstorm, I thought to myself. That's why everyone is hiding. **

**I cautiously proceeded down the left road and up the hill, towards my parents' hut. Windows and doors were sealed. As I continued uphill, I noticed a dark mass on the ground. I got chills from the realization that it was a body. **

**I rushed towards the person, dropping to my knees and screaming for help. The body was lying on her stomach. **

**"Help! Someone, help-" **

**My breath caught in my throat when I turned over the woman's body and saw her face. **

**Where her eyes were, there was nothing. Darkness swallowed her eyes and covered her face. A putrid black liquid bubbled from her mouth and ran down her chin, dripping onto her bruised neck. I screeched in horror and jumped away from her. **

**Panic took hold as I raced up the hill to my parents' hut. I ran as fast as my feet could carry me, nearly losing my balance several times along the way. **

**I stopped where the road ended and looked to my parents' hut. The door was wide open, unlike most of the other huts. My heart pounded as I sprinted to the door. **

**Avo, please let them be alive. **

**I entered the hut. It was small and dark, with a nasty stench permeating the air. I searched my surroundings with my eyes, drinking in the darkness. **

**On the floor were the two bodies of my dead parents.**


	5. Chapter 5

-Present Time-

"Rise and shine, mongrel!" Reaver chimed from the other side of my door. I groaned with annoyance and finished clipping my pistols to my belt and putting myself together. I pulled the door open. Reaver stood in his usual white attire, with that ridiculous hat and cane to accompany him. He wore that same smirk as well, no doubt it was sparked by my annoyance.

"Your first big mission is today. It was delivered by the King's messenger not a few moments ago."

He glowered at me and I sighed.

"Are you going to tell me what it is, or are you going to stare at me until your eyes burst?" I sneered, staring him down. He frowned and began sauntering down the hall, talking as he went.

"There are rumors of an underground rebel base in the Bowerstone sewers. You're going to sneak in and snoop around as much as your silly little heart desires, until you feel you've gathered enough information to keep the pretty head on your shoulders. Understood?" he said, turning to face me once we reached the top of the grand staircase.

"Who do I report to once I've finished?" I asked, checking my belt and my pockets to make sure I had everything I needed.

"Daft girl!" Reaver exclaimed, chuckling to himself. I shot him a glare and instinctively reached for my pistol.

"You report to me, of course," he sneered, tapping his cane on the floor twice. "Now, off with you, errand girl, begone!"

I glared at him for a moment. I wondered if the fact that I played a big part in keeping him alive the other day made a difference. I pulled myself away from his evil gaze and descended the grand staircase, exiting through the large doors.

Dawn was rising quickly over the lake. I warily looked around as I left the gates to Reaver's property, nodding to the guard at his post.

"Watch for thieves, madam," he called, nodding towards the path. I smiled in response. Those guards really were a considerate lot.

I began to move down the path towards Bowerstone Market after I drew my hood over my head and pulled my dark cloak tighter around me. Soon, I was approaching the tall rooftops of the inner city.

Thats strange, I thought. I didn't see any bandits or balverines.

Just then, I heard a low growl behind me. I stood completely still, slowly reaching for my pistol on my left hip. I drew it with my right hand and instantly spun around, aiming in the direction of the growl. There stood two balverines, with their claws ready and their snarling muzzles soaked in blood.

"Oh, bloody hell," I murmured, watching the two balverines as they analyzed me, looking for an opportunity to strike. I aimed my pistol at the both of them, not knowing which to shoot first. I noticed the one on the right; he was slightly slouched and had blood pouring from a gash along his stomach. That one would die first.

Without warning, the stronger balverine leaped towards me, causing me to dive out of the way, draw my other pistol, and fire towards the weaker balverine. It flew backwards, newly lifeless. I barely had time to crack a smile before I was hit in the back, flying to the ground. I quickly regained my composure and rolled to the side, putting a bullet into the beast's chest. It was knocked back for a moment so I stood up and grabbed my other pistol, which had been knocked to the ground.

The balverine jumped towards me. While it was airborne I slid underneath of it and fired into its chest. When it hit the ground, it was motionless. I put my pistols away, panting with both exhaustion and relief. My eyes scanned the valley, squinting towards the breaking dawn, before I turned and walked into the trees.

Bowerstone Market was usually this crowded in the morning, if I remembered correctly. During my childhood, I had spent most of my time in the shipyard with my father, never bothering to play with the other children. The few trips I took to the market involved mobs of people, fights, the smell of ale, and noise. Tremendous amounts of noise.

I kept my hood up and moved through the crowd like a ghost. People stared as I passed, but I kept my face hidden and kept moving.

I passed a rather flattering statue of King Logan that made my lip curl with disgust. Imagining Logan as an admirable man was an absolute joke. Before I moved on, I glanced both ways to make sure no one was watching and spit on the foot of his statue. I smiled to myself, continuing on the road towards the slums of my childhood.

Bowerstone Industrial was dirtier than I remembered. The water was a strange color (and it did not excite me in the least to have the knowledge that my mission was to take place in the sewers) and the haze of factory smoke hung thick in the air. I wrinkled my nose and sighed, remembering my times wandering the shipyards with my father. I remember our next-door neighbors; a husband and wife with four daughters. The wife was kidnapped when I was about seven, and not shortly after, one of the children lost her left hand to a factory machine. All of the daughters were much older than me. When I was probably twelve, all of the daughters had married off (including the one with the missing hand) and left their father, poor and alone.

My mother told me never to fall in love, so I naturally obeyed her, even though she was never very nice to me.

I snapped back to reality when someone bumped my shoulder as I passed.

"Hey, watch it!" he snarled, bitterly hunching over and continuing on his way. I sneered at him and turned the corner, going down a set of concrete steps to the sewer doors. I looked around carefully before pulling open the heavy door and slipping inside.

The stench was awful and everything was pitch black. I squinted to recognize a few shapes; crates stacked against the wall, puddles on the ground, and the faint glow of light against the far wall.

Bingo.

Making sure to be completely quiet, I sidled the right wall and scurried along, crouching behind the crates and peeking ahead. There was a path to the right that lead to a smaller door, where two guards stood casually was enough darkness between the door and myself for me to continue down the right path, undetected. To dispatch the guards, I would have to do it quickly. I had the perfect idea.

I drew my left pistol into my right hand, crouching on the ground and aiming around the corner towards the guard on the right. I lined my shot up with his head, which was little more than a speck at the end of the path. I fired, hitting him as I intended to. The guard was startled but ran in my direction to investigate the gunshot, just as I expected him to. He came around the corner into the darkness and I slid behind him, placing one hand over his mouth and wrapping both arms around his neck.

"Avo bless you," I whispered. I snapped his head sharply to the side and let his limp body slide from my arms.

Damn that Logan, I thought. I hadn't killed often, and I hated doing it. If it wasn't for the King's mission, I wouldn't have to take these innocent lives. If I didn't follow his orders, he would execute me. I preferred anything over death. Death was a phobia of mine (I was also terribly afraid of large birds, but there was a good explanation for that).

I continued to the doorway that the now-deceased guards were previously protecting and flattened myself against the wall next to it, peeking in. There was a very large room, stocked full of supplies. There were small alcoves in the walls that contained bunks, fires, books, and several large crates. There were a few more doorways against the other sides of the room, leading to places I wouldn't yet explore.

My eyes swept the premises quickly as I rushed for an alcove, tearing apart the bedsheets and rummaging through the bookcase. I was looking for anything stating that this was indeed a rebel base, evidence of any kind would be perfect. I finished (unsuccessfully) rummaging through the alcove and turned, running to the next one.

"Intruder!"

I turned and drew my left pistol after hearing a shrill voice, pointing it at a rather unattractive fellow that seemed very dumbfounded. He was joined by another equally unattractive man.

"Who is that?" asked the first man, the one who had yelled.

"I dunno, Kidd! She looks like a thief," said the second man. The man called Kidd drew his own pistol. I did not flinch.

"Who are you?" he yelled, cocking his pistol. Without warning, I shot the man next to him in the chest. While Kidd was busy trying to revive his now deceased partner, I turned to run for the door. Unfortunately, I was too late. I was seized by Kidd and several other men. I kicked and bit and fought as much as I could, but I was being overpowered.

Thoughts ran through my head as I struggled. What of my mission? Had I failed, so I would be beheaded?

I was struck over the head with something (which made my situation much more discomforting), and everyone disappeared.

It was then that everything went black.

I awoke slowly some time later, but kept my eyes closed so I would continue to appear unconscious. There was a sharp pain at the top of my head and I could feel my hands bound behind me. I was bound to a chair, a very uncomfortable one, made of hard wood with a horribly straight back. I opened my eyes slowly, one after the other, glancing at my surroundings. There was a fire a few feet away from me and I was seated in the corner of a large room with a round map in the center. My pistols were on a small table on the other side of the fire, along with my cloak and my curved knife.

I struggled to free my hands and my ankles, twisting my wrists ever which-way and rocking the chair as much as I could.

"Hey, she's awake!"

I was startled to hear a female voice, so I stopped struggling and looked up to see a girl with dark skin and dreadlocks, drawing a pistol and rushing towards me.

"Move once more and it will be your last," she growled, stopping not five feet away from me and aiming the pistol at my head. I glowered at her, but remained silent. A few more men entered through the door and rushed to the woman's side.

"What's the game, Page?" one of them asked. Page lowered her pistol, but kept her eyes on me.

"One of you, watch this one. The rest of you, come with me," she said. She turned and walked away and I kept my eyes on the ground. One of the men sat down across the fire from me, but I didn't bother to look up and see who it was. There was a long silence as I continued to twist my hands, desperately trying to get at least one of them free.

"It's not worth it," the man said. I looked at him. He was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed fellow, dressed in an army uniform. His voice was oddly familiar. I sighed in frustration and narrowed my eyes at him, causing him to lean back and chuckle.

A memory flashed into my mind. Seven years ago, when I was seventeen, Ben and I were casting out the nets and pulling them back in, trying to catch some form of edible sea-life (by order of the Captain, fishing was one of my least favorite chores). It was a horribly hot day. We worked quietly. While I was pulling in one of the nets, I noticed something shining in the water. I suppose I had leaned too far, because not a moment later I was getting very close to the water and suddenly being swallowed in the icy depths. My lungs felt like they were being crushed as I struggled to hold my breath, fighting for the surface. My arms were flailing and my body was being dragged down by something. It was the net.

Avo help me, I prayed, as I struggled towards the sun. My head was pounding. A pair of arms wrapped around me and pulled me to the surface. I gasped for air and coughed uncontrollably, spitting water out of my mouth and nose.

Ben hauled me up the ladder and pushed me on deck. I dropped to my knees, still panting, as Ben stood over me with his hands on his hips. He smiled and shook his head, panting as well. He shook his wet hair out of his eyes and started to laugh. I stood up, still shaking, but began to laugh with him.

"If you're going to work the nets-" he said, gesturing to the net sitting next to the railing. "-you need to learn the waters, little fish."

I laughed and shook my head, gathering my shirt in my hands and wringing the water out of it. I moved my hair from my face and looked at Ben.

"Thank you," I said, smiling at him.

"Of course."

I snapped back to reality, realizing that the one and only Benjamin Finn was sitting right in front of me. He had changed, too. His voice had deepened and he had a mysterious quality about him that he did not have in the past.

"What a strange girl you are, staring at nothing like it's bloody important," he said, chuckling again. I looked at him in an absolute state of confusion. What was I supposed to say? After six years, what did I have to say?

"Well, I s'pose it can't be helped, just like a fish out of water. What is your name, little fish?" he asked. My breath caught in my throat and I locked eyes with him, and he knew me.

"It's Terra. My name is Terra."

Without saying a word, he grabbed my curved knife from the table and knelt at my side, beginning to cut my ankles free.

"What are you doing?" I asked frantically.

"I'm freeing you," he said, stopping for a moment to look at me, then freeing my right ankle.

"Won't you get in trouble?" I asked. He freed my left and went to free my hands.

"Anything for a friend, you in particular. Now keep still-"

"Ben! What the hell are you doing!"

Page's voice echoes throughout the room. Ben jumped away from me, dropping my knife next to me. His eyes went from me to Page, back and forth.

"Page, this isn't...she isn't who you think she is," Ben said, gesturing to me. If my hands weren't still bound, I would have jumped forward and knocked Page unconscious. Page narrowed her eyes at me and I cursed my bound hands.

"She's a spy, and she will not leave this place alive," Page said, signaling for her men to apprehend me. They grabbed my arms and pulled me away from the chair. I fought, kicked, and then I looked at a speechless Ben. Page approached me as the men held me still. I looked at Ben desperately.

"You're going to let them kill me, aren't you?" I snarled at him. He recoiled slightly, as if my words had smacked him across the face.

Page aimed her pistol at me, but looked away when there was commotion outside of the door. There was a sudden explosion and the heavy iron door flew open, allowing smoke to pour into the room.

Page pointed her pistol at the door, but the men still held me fast. I glanced at Ben, who had his rifle pointed at the smoke as well. There was more commotion through the doors, which sounded like muffled protests and struggling. There was a heartbreakingly long silence, but a figure began to emerge from the smoke.

My heartbeat quickened as Reaver stepped out of the haze, hat and all. Instead of his cane, he had a smoking pistol raised in his right hand. His eyes flashed to me, then to Page. His expression was all serious.

"I have come for my...associate," he said, stepping towards me. How did he know where to find me? Page raised her gun and nodded towards me.

"For her?"

Reaver nodded, glaring at Page with such intensity, even I had to look away.

Before I even knew what was happening, Page shot me in the chest.


	6. Chapter 6

-Ben's Point of View-

Page was beautiful, I wouldn't doubt that for a second. However, she was never nearly as beautiful as Terra Magnar.

I saw Terra cry only once, when she was eighteen and I was twenty-one. Her parents were murdered in Aurora, taken by the darkness. Shortly after, I was preparing to join the army. Leaving the Magpie was something that I would never forget. I left when we docked in Bowerstone.

"You'll do well, boy. You'll make a fine soldier," Captain Thomas said, clapping me on the shoulder. There was pride in his eyes. We said our fond goodbyes on the evening of my departure.

I descended the steps of the deck to the cabin, where Terra soundly slept. I opened the door quietly and shut it behind me, glancing at her sleeping form. She slept rather fitfully, tossing and turning about her bunk. It was then that I realized how deeply in love with her I was. Even when she was fifteen, I admired everything she did. Her somewhat boyish appearance and awkward features were nothing to gawk at, but I always thought she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen.

The moment she stepped on the Magpie, I made her my own responsibility. Whenever she had some sort of accident (falling overboard, getting tangled in a net, or falling down the deck stairs; for she was quite clumsy), I always made sure I was the first one by her side. If I could've stayed with her on the Magpie, I would've. At that precise moment when I glanced at her sleeping form, if it wasn't for my dire need of self-improvement and my overwhelming desire to serve my country, I would've stayed with her.

"Bye, fish," I mumbled, sighing to myself and quietly shutting the door.

Over the next six years, I searched for her. Any missions I had near the sea were dragged out on purpose. I took every opportunity I had to sail to Aurora and back. However, I never found her.

About a year ago, after that bastard Logan had gone far off his rocker, I began to hear tales of a pirate lord called Terra the Terrible, who was wanted for several counts of conspiracy, treason, thievery, and murder. Crude drawings and posters of this "Terra the Terrible" began appearing everywhere. Sailors told stories about this pirate lord and warned all to watch the horizon for a ship with red sails. I had no doubt that this was my Terra, but describing her as "Terra the Terrible" was far off the mark. Maybe if she was "Terra the Talented" or "Terra the Tasteful", it would make more sense. It would sound more like the Terra I knew.

After a while, the stories stopped and the wanted posters were taken down. Terra was not my priority, however. Major Swift and I had begun working with the Bowerstone Resistance; this included Sir Walter, Page, and Albion's own Prince Leon of Bowerstone Castle. The lot of us were conspiring against Logan.

One day, a bloody miserable day, Page sent and emergency message to Major Swift, saying that one of Logan's pawns had infiltrated the rebel hideout. She also mentioned that they had managed to capture the intruder. Swiftie sent me and the two other men to the base, where we met with Page.

"What's the game, Page?" one of my men asked as we entered the map room. Page was pointing a gun at a rather defiant-looking girl bound to a chair. She looked oddly familiar.

"One of you, watch this one. The rest of you, come with me." I nodded at Page as she left with my two men, taking a seat in the chair across the fire and facing this beautiful stranger. She didn't look at me, she simply began twisting her hands.

"It's not worth it," I said, hoping she would look at me so I could see her face. Sure enough, she glared at me and narrowed her eyes, causing me to chuckle. She stared at the fire for a moment.

"What a strange girl you are, staring at nothing like it's bloody important. Well, I s'pose it can't be helped, just like a fish out of water. What is your name, little fish?" I asked. I knew her name before she answered. This was Terra. She was here, in front of me for the first time in six years, and she had grown to be more beautiful than I had ever imagined. My feelings for her had not changed or faltered.

I had finally found who I was searching for after all these years. I felt elated, but I needed to hear her name. I needed to make sure this wasn't some warped fantasy of mine.

"It's Terra. My name is Terra."

That was all the proof I needed. I grabbed her curved knife from the table and dropped to my knees, desperately sawing at the ropes around her ankles.

"What are you doing?" Her voice was the music to my ears, even if it was hushed and frantic.

"I'm freeing you," I replied, stopping for a moment to make sure she was still there. "Won't you get in trouble?" she asked, looking at me with concerned eyes.

"Anything for a friend, you in particular. Now keep still-"

"Ben! What the hell are you doing?!" Page screamed, standing in the doorway. I dropped the knife next to Terra and stood up, facing Page.

"Page, this isn't...she isn't who you think she is," I desperately tried to explain. I had the feeling that Page wouldn't listen.

"She's a spy, and she will not leave this place alive," Page declared, sending her men to apprehend Terra. I fought back the urge to protect her, like I always had. The men ripped Terra from her chair, obviously using more force than necessary. I stood still. Terra fought the men, looking to me in desperation.

"You're going to let them kill me, aren't you?" she spat, looking into my eyes. A pang of doubt shot through me, and I wanted so badly to help set her free, but my loyalty lied with Major Swift (which indirectly meant I was loyal to Page). Page drew her pistol and aimed it at Terra, straight at her heart. I was about to lunge forward and grab the pistol from Page's hand, had the commotion outside the door not distracted me. There were several sounds outside the door that indicated someone being maimed. After many more sounds of muffled struggle, there was silence, which lead me to assume the man had been killed. There was an explosion that caused the door to fly open, also causing everyone to step back in surprise. A cloud of dust surrounded the now open door for some time.

Out of it stepped none other than the deviant Reaver, in his ridiculous king-like outfit, and a smoking pistol in his right hand. He eyed Page furiously.

"I have come for my...associate."

My heart dropped. Reaver and Terra, working together? What would possess her to do something like that?

"For her?" Page asked, nodding towards a very nervous Terra. She looked between Reaver and Page. Reaver nodded, glaring at Page with a ridiculous intensity. If there was any part of him that wasn't serious, it didn't show now.

As I warily watched him, I realized that Terra and I had seen him before, seven years ago. We had just docked the Magpie and we were on our way to Bowerstone Market. The next morning, Terra was going to sail to Aurora with a crew of her own. We were on our way to the pub in Bowerstone Market when we saw Reaver and stopped. We longingly gazed at the Dragonstomper dangling from his hip. I know for a fact that Terra dreamt of shooting one. It was a handsome gun indeed. I remember Reaver looking at Terra with hungry eyes, practically salivating at her appearance. I remember grabbing her and stomping away, furiously jealous, but I can't remember what I said to her. I do remember passionately hating that man and wanting to shoot his eyes out.

That evil look was not on Reaver's face now. He had a serious look of determination.

With a glare of defiance, Page shot Terra in the chest.

I watched her fall backwards. I thought I must've cried out. Page looked at me, confused. Terra crashed to the ground with a great thud. I could see blood pooling under her shirt. I looked at Page with the sudden urge to strangle her to death and watch the life leave her eyes.

Page dove for me as Reaver went berserk, shooting one of the men that held Terra during her execution. Page grabbed my arm and pulled me through a door behind the map table, slamming it shut behind us. I rounded on Page, ablaze with fury.

"Do you know what the hell you just did?!" I yelled, throwing my hands in the air. My temper was far gone.

"Ben, it's no big deal. Reaver wouldn't dare tell Logan anything-"

"That's not what I'm talking about!" Page looked at her feet. She knew what I meant.

"That was her, wasn't it?" Page said quietly. I had told her bits and pieces of my previous years, Terra somewhat included. Anger dominated my mind. I hated Page. I absolutely hated her.

"It's silent out there. I think it's safe." I ignored her. She opened the door and peeked outside, quickly bringing her head back in and waving me over.

"Ben, come quickly and look." I angrily sighed and stomped over, peeking through the crack in the door. What I saw haunted my thoughts for a long time. Reaver was kneeling over Terra's body. His face was shadowed. I watched as he effortlessly scopped Terra into his arms, draping her over his shoulder, and turned, disappearing out of the door.

As I did seven years ago, I once again burned with jealousy. I should've been the one carrying her away. I did not sleep that night.


End file.
